10225. From a son of twenty years and upward. That this signifies the state of the intelligence of truth and good, is evident from the signification of “twenty,” when said of a man’s age, as being a state of the intelligence of truth and good. That “twenty” denotes a state of the intelligence of truth and good, is because when a man attains the age of twenty years he begins to think from himself; for from earliest infancy to extreme old age a man passes through a number of states in respect to his interiors that belong to intelligence and wisdom. The first state is from birth to his fifth year; this is a state of ignorance and of innocence in ignorance, and is called infancy. The second state is from the fifth year to the twentieth; this is a state of instruction and of memory-knowledge, and is called childhood and youth. The third state is from the twentieth year to the sixtieth, which is a state of intelligence, and is called adolescence, young manhood, and manhood. The fourth or last state is from the sixtieth year upward, which is a state of wisdom, and of innocence in wisdom.

[2] These successive states of the life of man are signified by the numbers of the years of age—“five,” “twenty,” and “sixty,” in the following passages in Moses:

When anyone shall make a special vow, the estimation of a male shall be from a son of twenty years even to a son of sixty years, fifty shekels of silver. If it be a female, the estimation shall be thirty shekels. And if from a son of five years even unto to a son of twenty years, the estimation shall be, if a male, twenty shekels; and if a female, ten shekels. And if it be from the son of a month even unto five years, the estimation of a male shall be five shekels; of a female three shekels. And if it be from a son of sixty years upward, the estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and of a female ten shekels (Leviticus 27:2-7).

[3] That the first state is a state of ignorance and also of innocence in ignorance is plain. During the continuance of this state, the interiors are being formed for use, consequently are not manifest, but only those most external, that belong to the sensuous man; and when these alone are manifest, there is ignorance; for whatever man understands and perceives is from the interiors; from which it can also be seen that the innocence which exists at that time and is called the innocence of infancy, is innocence most external.

[4] That the second state is a state of instruction and of memory-knowledge is also plain; this state is not as yet a state of intelligence, because at that time the child or youth does not form any conclusions from himself, neither does he from himself discriminate between truths and truths, nor even between truths and falsities, but from others; he merely thinks and speaks things of memory, thus from mere memory-knowledge; nor does he see and perceive whether a thing is so, except on the authority of his teacher, consequently because another has said so.

[5] But the third is called a state of intelligence, because the man then thinks from himself, and discriminates and forms conclusions; and that which he then concludes is his own, and not another’s. At this time faith begins, for faith is not the faith of the man himself until he has confirmed what he believes by the ideas of his own thought. Previous to this, faith was not his, but another’s in him, for his belief was in the person, not in the thing. From this it can be seen that the state of intelligence commences with man when he no longer thinks from a teacher, but from himself; which is not the case until the interiors are opened toward heaven. Be it known that the exteriors with man are in the world, and the interiors in heaven; and that in proportion as light flows in from heaven into what is from the world, the man is intelligent and wise; and this according to the degree and quality of the opening of his interiors, which are so far opened as the man lives for heaven and not for the world.

[6] But the last state is a state of wisdom and of innocence in wisdom; which is when the man is no longer concerned about understanding truths and goods, but about willing and living them; for this is to be wise. And a man is able to will truths and goods, and to live them, just insofar as he is in innocence, that is, insofar as he believes that he has nothing of wisdom from himself, but that whatever he has of wisdom is from the Lord; also insofar as he loves to have it so; hence it is that this state is also a state of innocence in wisdom.

[7] From the succession of these states the man who is wise may also see the wonderful things of the Divine Providence, which are that a prior state is constantly the plane of the states which follow, and that the opening or unfolding of the interiors proceeds successively from outermosts even to inmosts; and at last so that what was first (namely, ignorance and innocence), but in outermosts, is also last, but in inmosts; for he who knows that of himself he is ignorant of all things, and that whatever he knows is from the Lord, is in the ignorance of wisdom, and also in the innocence of wisdom. From all this it can be seen what is the state of intelligence which is signified by “twenty,” when this number is predicated of man’s age.

[8] The like is also meant by this number in other passages of the Word, as in Moses:

Take ye the sum of all the congregation, from a son of twenty years and upward, everyone that goeth forth into the army in Israel (Numbers 1:2-3, 18, and following verses).

The subject treated of in this passage is the encampment and journeying of the sons of Israel according to the tribes, and thereby is also signified the setting in order and disposing by the Lord of the truths and goods of faith and love; by the “encampment,” the setting in order and disposing (n. 4236, 8103, 8130, 8131, 8155); and by the “tribes,” the goods and truths of faith and love in the whole complex (n. 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397). Hence by “a son of twenty years and upward” are meant those who are in a state of intelligence, for with these the truths and goods of faith and love can be set in order and disposed by the Lord, because the Lord flows into their understanding and will, and sets them in order and disposes them, and also removes and casts down falsities and evils. Therefore it is said “from a son of twenty years and upward everyone that goeth forth into the army,” for by “the army” is signified truths disposed in this order-that they do not fear falsities and evils; but repel them if they assault. (That such truths are meant in the internal sense by an “army,” see n. 3448, 7236, 7988, 8019)

[9] But with those who are in a state of infancy and childhood, thus who are under twenty years of age, truths and goods have not been so set in order as to enable them to go forth into the army and into warfare, because, as before said, they do not as yet from themselves discriminate, and form any conclusions; consequently they cannot as yet by means of the rational dispel anything of falsity or evil; and they who are not able to do this are not let into combats. For this reason a man is not admitted into temptations, which are spiritual combats against falsities and evils, until he is in a state of intelligence, that is, until he comes to his own judgment (n. 3928, 4248, 4249, 8963).

[10] The like is signified by the age of “twenty years and upward” in other passages in Moses:

Jehovah said to Moses and Eleazar, Take ye the sum of all the assembly of the sons of Israel, from a son of twenty years and upward, everyone that goeth forth to warfare in Israel (Numbers 26:2-3);

in the spiritual sense by “going forth to warfare” is signified to go forth into combats against the falsities and evils which are from hell.

[11] One who does not know that a “son of twenty years and upward” signifies a state of intelligence, or those who are in this state, cannot know either why, when they murmured against Jehovah, it is said that they should “die in the wilderness from twenty years and upward, all who came up out of Egypt” (Numbers 14:29; 32:10-11); for they who are in such a state of intelligence that they can discriminate, conclude, and judge from themselves are blamable for their evil; but not those who are not yet in this state. From this also it is evident that by “twenty years,” when said of a person’s age, is signified a state of understanding, or of judgment. But the number “twenty” has a different signification when said of a different subject (see above, n. 10222).

3448. And Ahuzzath his companion, and Phicol the captain of his army. That this signifies the primaries of the doctrine of their faith, is evident from the representation of Abimelech, as being the doctrine of faith that looks to rational things; hence “his companion and the captain of his army” signify these primaries, and indeed the primaries which are of doctrine; for a “captain,” like a “prince,” signifies the things that are primary (n. 1482, 2089); and an “army” signifies the doctrinal things themselves. That an “army” signifies the doctrinal things that are of truth, or that are lower truths, is because by “warfare” in the Word, and by “war,” are signified the things that are of spiritual warfare and war (n. 1664, 1788, 2686); as also by “arms,” such as spears,” “shields,” “bows,” “arrows,” “swords,” and the like, as has been shown elsewhere. And because it is truths or doctrinal things by means of which spiritual combats are waged, therefore by “armies” these are signified; and also in the opposite sense things false or heretical.

[2] That both are signified in the Word by “armies,” may be seen from many passages, as in Daniel:

One horn of the he-goat grew exceedingly toward the south, and toward the sunrise, and toward beauty. And it grew even to the army of the heavens, and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled upon them. Yea, it magnified itself, even to the Prince of the army. His army was given over with the continual sacrifice to transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground. I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said, How long shall be this vision, the continual sacrifice, and the transgression that wasteth, to give both the sanctuary and the army to be trampled down? (Daniel 8:9-13).

The “horn which grew toward the south, toward the sunrise, and toward beauty,” is the power of falsity from evil (n. 2832); the “armies of the heavens” are truths; the “Prince of the army” is the Lord as to Divine truth; and because in a good sense an “army” is truth, it is said that the horn “cast down of the army to the ground,” and afterwards that it “cast truth to the ground.”

[3] Again:

The king of the north ¹ shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and he shall come on at the end of the times of years, coming with a great army, and with much substance. And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south, with a great army; and the king of the south shall war in battle with an exceeding great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they that eat of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain (Daniel 11:13, 25-26).

The subject of this whole chapter is the war between the king of the north and the king of the south; and by the “king of the north” are meant falsities, as also by his “army;” and by the “king of the south” and his “army” are meant truths: it is a prophecy of the vastation of the church.

[4] In John:

I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true. He was clothed in a garment dipped in blood. And his armies in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen white and clean. And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army (Revelation 19:11, 13-14, 19);

“he that sat upon the white horse” denotes the Lord’s Word, or the Lord as to the Word (n. 2760-2762); “his armies in heaven that followed him” denote the truths therefrom, consequently those in heaven who are in truths; the “beast” denotes the evils of the love of self; the “kings of the earth and their armies” denote falsities. The combats of falsity with truth are what are here described.

[5] In David:

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the army of them by the breath of His mouth (Psalms 33:6).

The “army of them,” or of the heavens, denotes truths. Because truths are signified by an “army,” the sons of the kingdom and the angels, from the truths in which they are, are called the “army of the heavens” as in Luke:

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God (Luke 2:13).

In David:

Bless Jehovah, all ye His armies, ye ministers of His that do His will (Psalms 103:21).

Praise ye him all His angels; praise ye Him all His army (Psalms 148:2).

In Isaiah:

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these; He that bringeth out their army by number. He calleth them all by name; of the multitude of the powerful and of the mighty not a man is lacking (Isaiah 40:26).

I have made the earth and created man upon it; I, My hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their army have I commanded (Isaiah 45:12); where the “army of the heavens” denotes truths, thus the angels, because they are in truths, as has been shown.

[6] In the first book of Kings:

I saw Jehovah sitting on His throne, and all the army of the heavens standing by Him on His right hand and on His left (1 Kings 22:19).

In Joel:

Jehovah uttereth His voice before His army; for His camp is very great; for he is strong that doeth His word (Joel 2:11).

In Zechariah:

I will encamp about My house against the army that passeth through and returneth, and no exactor shall pass through them any more. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; make a loud noise, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee (Zech. 9:8-9); where the coming of the Lord is treated of; his “army” denotes truths Divine. It is from this and also because the Lord alone fights for man against the hells which are in the continual effort to assault him, that in the Word the Lord is so often called “Jehovah Zebaoth,” “God Zebaoth,” the “Lord Zebaoth,” that is, “of armies” as in Isaiah:

The voice of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together; Jehovah Zebaoth mustereth the army for the battle (Isaiah 13:4);

“the kingdoms of the nations” denote falsities from evils; “mustering the army for the battle” denotes fighting for man.

[7] Inasmuch as the twelve tribes of Israel represented the Lord’s heavenly kingdom, and “tribes” and likewise “twelve” signified all things of faith in one complex, that is, all truths of the kingdom (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272), therefore also they were called the “armies of Jehovah;” as in Exodus 7:4; 12:17, 41, 51; and it was commanded that they should be brought out of Egypt “according to their armies” (Exodus 6:26); and should mete out the camp “according to their armies” (Numbers 1:52); and should be distributed into their “armies” (Numbers 2).

[8] That by “armies” are signified truths, is evident also in Ezekiel:

Persia and Lud and Put were in thine army, thy men of war; they hanged the shield and the helmet in thee, they set forth thine honor; the sons of Arvad and thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadim were in thy towers (Ezekiel 27:10-11);

speaking of Tyre, by which are signified the interior knowledges of good and truth, and thus those who are therein (n. 1201); “army” denotes the truths themselves; that “Lud and Put” are also those who are in knowledges may be seen above (n. 1163, 1164, 1166, 1195, 1231); “shield and helmet” are such things as pertain to spiritual combat or war.

[9] That in the opposite sense “armies” signify falsities, is manifest in Isaiah:

It shall come to pass in that day that Jehovah shall visit upon the army of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth upon the earth (Isaiah 24:21); where the “armies of the height” denote falsities from the love of self.

In Ezekiel:

I will bring thee back, and put hooks in thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them completely clad, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords. Thou shalt come from thy place out of the sides to the north, thou and many peoples with thee, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army (Ezekiel 38:4, 15);

speaking of Gog, by whom is signified external worship separate from internal, thus become idolatrous (n. 1151); his “army” denotes falsities.

[10] In Jeremiah:

I will send against Babylon him that bendeth, bending his bow, and lifting up himself in his coat of mail; spare ye not her young men, give to the curse all her army (Jeremiah 51:2-3);

“Babylon” denotes worship the externals of which appear holy, but the interiors are profane (n. 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326); “her army” is the falsities of such profane interiors, as in like manner the “army of Babylon” in other passages (as Jeremiah 32:2; 34:1, 21; 39:1).

In Ezekiel:

Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword. For I will put the terror of Me in the land of the living (Ezekiel 32:31-32);

speaking of Egypt, by which are signified those who pervert truths by reasonings from memory-knowledges (n. 1164, 1165); “his army,” or the army of Pharaoh, denotes falsities therefrom; the like is also signified by the “army of Pharaoh” in other passages (as Jeremiah 37:5, 7, 11; 46:2; Ezekiel 17:17).

In Luke:

When ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand (Luke 21:20); where the consummation of the age is treated of, or the last time of the church, when there is no longer any faith. That by “Jerusalem” is signified the church, see above (n. 2117), which is “compassed with armies” when it is beset by falsities.

[11] Hence it is evident that by the “armies of the heavens” which the Jews and idolaters adored, in the internal sense were signified falsities, concerning which in the second book of Kings:

They forsook all the commandments of their God, and made them a molten image, even two calves, and made a grove, and bowed themselves down to all the army of the heavens (2 Kings 17:16).

This is said of the Israelites; and in another place it is written concerning Manasseh that:

He built altars for all the army of the heavens (2 Kings 21:5);

and again that:

Josiah the king brought forth out of the temple all the vessels made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the army of the heavens (2 Kings 23:4);

and in Jeremiah, that:

They should bring out the bones of the princes, of the priests, and of the prophets, and should spread them before the sun and the moon, and all the army of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked (Jeremiah 8:1-2

The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be unclean like Tophet, as to all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the army of the heavens, and have poured out drink-offerings unto other gods (Jeremiah 19:13).

And in Zephaniah:

I will stretch out Mine hand against them that worship the army of the heavens upon the roofs (Zeph. 1:4-5);

for it is principally the stars that are called the “army of the heavens;” and that by the “stars” are signified truths, and in the opposite sense falsities, may be seen above (n. 1128, 1808).

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